Cultural Sustainability, Social Cohesion and Glocal

Education
Conveners:
Zvi Bekerman - Hebrew University oI Jerusalem, School oI
Education, The Melton Centre
Miriam Ben Peretz University oI HaiIa, Department oI Education
David Zisenwine - Tel Aviv University, The Kelman Center

Modern education systems Iunction to build social cohesion
through homogenization, whether in decentralized and varied
school systems as in the USA or in highly uniIied and centralized
systems as in France. The main vehicles Ior homogenization are
language, culture, values, texts, secularism, epistemologies,
interpretations, codes oI conduct, design, and curricula; yet their
eIIicacy in actually promoting positive Iorms oI social cohesion
remains unclear and varied. At the same time, cultural diversity
and cultural sustainability pose challenges to the social cohesion
agenda oI education both Ior those concerned with integrating
diverse groups within a nation-state ,3/Ior those oriented to
enhancing equity and autonomy Ior a particular ethnic or cultural
community.
The question oI whether culturally speciIic Iaith, ethnic,
linguistic, Diaspora, Indigenous education exacerbates societal
divisions has been an ongoing issue in modern political settings,
despite the lip-service paid to diversity being a source oI civic
strength and pride. A plethora oI educational solutions have been
attempted with more or less success. "uestions concerning which
educational policies/approaches/curricula/strategies are better
and in which contexts remain open, as do the implications for
their multiple potential beneficiaries (states, communities,
parents, students, and teachers). Some have even denied cultural
sustainability as a relevant concept Ior it reiIies and essentializes
cultures and group boundaries in ways that can be less than
liberating, not to mention empirically hard to demonstrate.
The great challenge conIronting our world today is how to balance
the competing interests oI sustainability and social cohesion, and
how to overcome local and international divides that threaten the
spirit oI cooperation needed to acknowledge the rich diversity that
characterizes both global and local societies. Creating shared
meanings, while validating diversity, is a pre-condition to securing
the world guaranteeing our co-existence. Education that is
sensitive to these issues can vastly contribute to an increased sense
oI civic global and local belonging, and promote a shared civic
vision and agenda.

The Conference on Cultural Sustainability, Social Cohesion
and Glocal Education will focus on these complex questions
and issues from multiple disciplinary theoretical (psychology,
sociology, education, economics, history, literature) and
methodological perspectives. More specifically the conference
wishes to critically examine the repertoire of educational
strategies and pedagogies available to approach these issues
and their implications for their multiple potential beneficiaries
(states, communities, parents, students, and teachers).
The conIerence will bring together scholars who have dealt with
these issues in the context oI studies oI minority, migrant,
diaspora, and indigenous education throughout the world. In doing
so, it will oIIer a unique opportunity to enrich the knowledge,
communication, and cross-pollination oI ideas oI those who have,
because oI academic constraints, sustained parallel yet segregated
scholarly inquires.
The conference will take place at the Hebrew University of
1erusalem in 1une 2013.
Interested parties should submit an abstract of 600-800 words
(not including bibliography) that describes in detail the subject
chosen, research aims, a review oI relevant literature, methodology
adopted and Iindings. Abstracts should be submitted in a word
document (Iont: Times New Roman, 12 points, double spaced)
according to the Iollowing Iormat:
(Manuscript Title)
(Last Name) (First Name) (Middle Name)
(University/Institute)
(Department)
(Address Street)
(City State iI relevant)
(Zip Code)
(Country Country Code)
(Abstract Title)
(Abstract 600-800 words)
(Bibliography)
Abstracts should be sent to Zvi Bekerman
mszvimanmscc.huji.ac.il beIore March 1, 2012. Decisions will
made by March 30
th
, 2012. II accepted, participants will be asked
to pay a participation Iee oI $100. A copy oI the accepted papers
should be submitted by 1anuary 1
st
, 2013.


Stipends
We count with a limited number oI stipends to support the
participation oI authors oI outstanding papers.

Publications
The organizers will publish an edited volume with the best papers
presented in the conIerence. Other outstanding papers can be
submitted Ior special issues oI DIME - Diaspora, Indigenous, and
Minority Education: An International Journal.

The ConIerence is devoted to Iacilitate Iurther interdisciplinary
research on the topics discussed and should provide possibilities
Ior international cooperation in research (comparative) projects.


Organization and Accommodation

The Hebrew University - School oI Education, Melton Center will
be responsible Ior the organization and administration oI the
conIerence.

Hotel accommodation will be booked independently by
participants. More inIormation on accommodations will be
supplied as the date approaches. (Suggested: The Faculty Club oI
the Hebrew University http://www.bmIc.huji.ac.il/eng/ )